The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians of Michigan is taking steps to rein in spending and cut costs amid the downturn in the economy.

Chairman Frank Ettawageshik issued an executive directive to implement several cost-saving measures. The tribe has initiated a hiring freeze and has eliminated temporary staff. Employees are being encouraged to work 32-hour weeks without a loss of benefits.

"We're trying to be prudent in dealing with the economic crisis that the rest of the nation is dealing with right now -- we don't exist in a vacuum, we exist in the greater economy," Ettawageshik told The Petoskey News-Review. "We're trying to take prudent management steps to deal with these issues."

In August, the tribe cut as many as 100 full-time and part-time employees at its casino.

Get the Story:
Tribe takes steps to cut costs (The Petoskey News-Review 10/31)

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